Autumn Serendipity |Jeon Jungkook|

28: Vows of the Heart

It had been three months since Jungkook's business started taking off, and now he was making a name for himself. It felt surreal seeing how fast everything was moving, and today was no different. 

Esme's wedding day had arrived. I was getting ready in the suite, looking out at the beautiful garden where the wedding was about to take place. It was late evening in Seoul, and the whole place was packed with family, friends, and business elites. 

The day had been so busy, and I could barely keep up. All of Taehyung's friends were there too, including Namjoon, Hoseok, Jin, Jimin, and Yoongi.

When the exchange of vows began, I found myself sitting on the bride's side, glancing at Jungkook who was on the groom's side with his friends. He looked perfect in his suit, smiling as Taehyung and Esme stood before the officiant. 

As Esme started her vows, my heart began to race. I looked at Jungkook, and quietly to myself, I whispered, "I, Park Aurelia David, take you, Jeon Jungkook, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part." 

When I opened my eyes, Jungkook was already looking at me. A soft smile formed on my lips, and he smiled back. It felt like we were exchanging vows of our own, silently.

After the officiant declared Esme and Taehyung as husband and wife, they shared their first kiss. But my heart sank a little when I couldn't find Jungkook in the crowd anymore. The guests began to gather, and I was caught up talking to so many people that I couldn't escape. 

As I made my way through the crowd, I finally spotted him—but my heart stopped. He was with a girl, standing beside Jin. The girl was holding onto his arm, and my chest tightened. 

I shrugged it off at first, but when I saw her laugh and hold his arm again, I felt a wave of jealousy wash over me. I couldn't even claim him in front of everyone, but seeing them together like that hurt. Before I could stop myself, I turned and walked away.

As I made my way to the suite, I bumped into Jimin. He asked, "Have you seen Jungkook?"

Without looking up, I simply pointed in the direction where he was standing and said, "He's over there." 

Jimin thanked me and headed that way. I thought of going to the room for a bit to calm down, but just as I was about to head there, Liam grabbed my hand.

"Hey, idiot, the dance is about to begin. Don't you want to see Esme and Taehyung dance?" he asked. "Did you eat something spicy again?"

I blinked away the tears and nodded. "Yeah... something like that."

Liam flagged down a waiter carrying a tray of desserts and handed me a chocolate sundae. "Eat this. You'll feel better."

I smiled softly and thanked him, but my mind was still on Jungkook and that girl. Liam pulled me along, insisting we watch the dance. I sat next to him, trying to push the thoughts aside. Just as the performance was about to start, I felt someone sit down beside me. Jungkook.

I was still upset. I sat between Liam and my dad, pretending not to notice him. Jungkook seemed to be watching me, but I didn't give him any attention. 

I watched as Esme and Taehyung danced gracefully together, hand in hand. They looked so in love. The moment was beautiful, and yet I couldn't shake the feeling gnawing at me inside.

Once their dance ended, the DJ started playing music, and everyone flooded the dance floor. I, however, had lost all interest in celebrating. I stood up and quietly slipped away, making my way back to the room. 

As I closed the door behind me, I realized someone had followed me. I turned around to see Jungkook standing there, looking concerned.

"Darling, are you alright?" he asked

I didn't respond. Instead, I tried to shut the door, but he pushed it open and stepped inside, closing it behind him.

"Aurelia, what's wrong?" 

"Nothing, just leave," I muttered, sitting on the bed.

He knelt in front of me, lifting my chin so I would look at him. "Who hurt you?" 

I pulled my chin away from his hand. "You."

"Me? What did I do?"

I scoffed. "Who was that girl beside you?"

"What girl?"

"How many women are you with?" I snapped.

He shushed me by placing his finger on my lips. "Don't speak," he whispered.

I moved his finger away and stood up, stepping just inches from him. "Who was that girl who held your arm? You were with Jin Oppa, and that lady—"

Before I could finish, Jungkook laughed finally remembering. I grabbed his collar, pulling him closer, feeling the frustration rise. "Who is she?"

He gently placed his hands on my waist, calming me. "Iseul, Lee Iseul," he answered.

My heart sank at the name, and tears pricked my eyes. I should have known. I started to pull away from him, but his arms tightened around my waist.

"She's Jin Hyung's girlfriend," he said. "She was my senior in school. She's like a sister to me. Can't my sister hold my arm?"

I blinked, trying to process his words. My embarrassment quickly replaced the jealousy. Jungkook leaned in, whispering in my ear, "Were you jealous, darling?"

I laughed softly through the tears. "Me? Jealous?" I joked, shaking my head. 

But as our eyes locked, I finally admitted, "Yes."

His eyes crinkled into a smile, and he lifted my chin again, pressing his forehead against mine. 

"What if another girl tries to come between us?" I asked.

Jungkook cupped my face in his hands. "I'll kiss her on the forehead and tell her how lucky she is to have a mom like you,"

I laughed, giving him a soft peck on the lips, but he pouted, clearly wanting more. "We're alone now," he murmured, leaning closer. "Can I have one more?"

"No," I teased, pulling away. "We should go back outside. I want to dance."

We returned to the garden, where the music was still playing, and people were dancing. The crowd was thick, but we found a little spot just for us.